Kenzie’s Triple Dip.. Lucky or unlucky?!

Vet Checks Inwith Joerg Thammfrom Mount Vet Hospital

Kenzie, the beautiful Great Dane was in one day for a routine gastropexy* and ovariohysterectomy (spay). On admitting Kenzie for the day, the nurse went over details with Kenzies family regarding important information for us to know before any surgical procedure is performed.

Everything was sounding good so Kenzie’s premedication was administered. The premedication includes morphine for pain relief which often induces vomiting in dogs. This is where it all begins…

Kenzie had vomited large parts of a tennis ball! The ball was removed from her cage and a nurse pieced it together to make sure that we had a whole ball of pieces! Her owners were called and they were not aware of a missing ball, they were informed that a large piece was still missing.

The missing piece was large enough to cause fatal issues in even a dog of Kenzies size. Kenzie was now prepared for the spay, the gastropexy and opening her stomach to remove the foreign object.

Fortunately, the piece was easily located and once the procedure was finished, Kenzie could now consider herself as one lucky dog!

Kenzie has now recovered fully and is home with her loving family… Funnily enough, tennis balls have been banned from the house!

*Canine gastropexy is a surgical procedure performed most commonly in large breed dogs to prevent gastric dilatation volvulus, commonly known as torsion bloat. Torsion bloat is a life-threatening condition in which the stomach flips over and expands, trapping air and gases in the stomach.